Dr. Adams Settles Sponge Lawsuit

12/11/2007 2:15 PM PST BY TMZ STAFF

Dr. Jan Adams has just agreed to start making payments to a former patient who sued him, claiming he left a sponge inside her during a surgery in 1996.

Bob Nehoray, the attorney for plaintiff Lori Ufondu, told TMZ that Adams has already made one payment towards the nearly $150,000 Adams owes his client. Adams has already made one payment and will continue to do so until April of next year, when the parties will meet again.

Ufondu had previously won a judgment against Adams in excess of $100,000 -- but she was never paid. He appeared in court last month to answer questions about his assets, but was so late to the hearing that the judge issued a warrant for his arrest. He eventually showed and the warrant was recalled.

Adams was the surgeon who operated on Dr. Donda West, the mother of Kanye West, the day before she died.